Montgomery County Council ed committee begins scrutiny of schools budget

Several worksessions scheduled for the next month

Montgomery County Council members say they are keeping the future in mind as they review Montgomery County Public Schools’ budget request for next fiscal year.

The council’s three-member Education Committee took its first look at the school system’s budget at a meeting Monday, reminding school officials that they have to consider what fully approving this year’s request will cost the county in future years.

The Montgomery County Board of Education is asking for a $2.23 billion budget for next school year, hoping the council will approve the request although it asks the county to provide $10 million more than it is required under state law.

The state’s Maintenance of Effort law requires the county to provide at least the same per-pupil funding level as the year before. The county provided $9,759 per student for 144,869 students this school year, for a total contribution of $1.42 billion.

Under Maintenance of Effort and with pension costs transferring from the state to the county, by fiscal 2017 the county will be required to give the school system a minimum of $100 million more, said Essie McGuire, a senior legislative analyst for the county.

Councilwoman Valerie Ervin (D-Dist. 5) of Takoma Park and Councilman Philip Andrews (D-Dist. 3) of Gaithersburg both pointed out the stress those requirements place on the county, stating that going beyond those requirements would put the county in an even worse position.

County Executive Isiah Leggett (D) has recommended that the school system’s budget be fully funded, but that the school system take the $10 million extra funding it is requesting from its fund balance, so that the county does not need to provide more than it is required.